Has your mobility been restricted by recent surgery or an injury?
Are you pregnant? Or started a new contraceptive pill?
Are you overweight?
Do you smoke?
Do you have diabetes?
Thrombotic risk refers to the increased likelihood of a dangerous blood clot, and these are all factors that can increase your risk. But there are also “invisible” risk factors – changes in the F5, F2 and MTHFR genes that each increase thrombotic risk.
Understand your thrombotic risk and make lifestyle changes today
Every year, more people die from a blood clotting problem than breast cancer and HIV combined. Thrombophilia is a condition where the blood has an increased tendency to form clots, and many people suffer from this condition due to genetic variation (inherited thrombophilia). This genetic analysis determines if you have inherited mutations in your F5, F2 and MTHFR genes that can significantly increase your risk of dangerous blood clots.
By understanding your genetic risk, you can make necessary health and lifestyle changes (e.g. increasing physical activity) to help decrease your risk of abnormal blood clots.
What is thrombosis?
Thrombosis is the formation of a blood clot inside a blood vessel, preventing the flow of blood through the circulatory system. Deep vein thrombosis (DVT) is the most common form of venous thrombosis (blood clot). DVT refers to a clot in a deep vein and often happens in the leg. Symptoms in the affected area include pain, swelling, redness and warmth. A physician should be consulted if a DVT is suspected, as sometimes the clot may break loose and travel to other parts of the body, where it can cause serious complications.
If the clot travels to the lungs, it can block essential blood vessels and is a life-threatening complication, known as a pulmonary embolism. Symptoms include a sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, coughing up blood-streaked mucus and a rapid heartbeat. If the clot travels to the brain, it is also extremely dangerous and can potentially cause a cerebral venous thrombosis. Symptoms can include impaired speech, difficulty moving parts of the body, vision problems and severe headaches.
What factors increase your risk of a blood clot?
A combination of environmental, lifestyle and genetic factors affect your risk of thrombosis:
- Genetic mutations in the F5, F2 and MTHFR genes
- Lack of mobility
- Smoking
- Obesity
- Pregnancy
- Hormone changes – e.g. contraceptive pill
- Age – elderly have an increased risk
- Surgery or injury
- Infections, inflammatory disease, diabetes
- Maintain a healthy body weight
- Follow a healthy diet
- Increase blood flow through physical exercise
- Avoid extended periods of immobility
- Avoid smoking
- Reduce homocysteine levels by obtaining plenty of folate and other B vitamins
- Wear compression stocking on long plane journeys
- Seek medical treatment (e.g. anticoagulants) for very high risk individuals
- F5 – the Factor V Leiden mutation (1691G>A)
- F2 – the prothrombin mutation (20210G>A)
- MTHFR – two mutations (677C>T and 1298A>C)
| Patient Genotype | Thrombotic Risk |
| Factor V Leiden mutation (heterozygous 1691G>A) in the F5 gene | 3X to 8X increased risk of thrombosis 2X to 11X increased risk of miscarriage |
| Factor V Leiden mutation (homozygous 1691G>A) in the F5 gene | 10X to 80X increased risk of thrombosis 2X to 11X increased risk of miscarriage |
| Prothrombin mutation (heterozygous 20210G>A) in the F2 gene | 2X to 5X increased risk of thrombosis 2X to 3X increased risk of miscarriage |
| Prothrombin mutation (homozygous 20210G>A) in the F2 gene | >5X increased risk of thrombosis 2X to 3X increased risk of miscarriage |
| Mutation (homozygous 677C>T) in the MTHFR gene | Increased risk of thrombosis if folate levels are low |
| Two mutations (677C>T and 1298A>C) in the MTHFR gene | Increased risk of thrombosis if folate levels are low |
Four Easy Steps
Step 1: Order text kit online
Step 2: Collect DNA sample using a simple and painless mouth swab
Step 3: Mail samples to the lab in the provided return envelope
Step 4: Receive your results online
